23 Twittervations

Twitter has shown how effectively--or ineffectively, as the case may be--people can communicate online. The microblogging site asks a simple question: "What are you doing?" Its 140-character limit forces users to choose their words wisely, and a handful of simple tools and functions give Twitter users some flexibility in the types of content they can post.

It’s amazing what you can do and write in 140 characters. A student in Egypt was bailed out of jail after sending a Twitter update from his mobile phone, a group of moms singlehandedly destroyed a Motrin marketing campaign in 48 hours, numerous couples have proposed marriage, and a survivor of a plane crash reported the perilous accident almost immediately after it happened.

Twitter users can send each other money, earn ad revenue from interstitial links and promote their work. There are even a number of unusual Twitter users, like Corey Menscher’s child (who’s still in his mother’s womb, mind you) and potted plants.